On March 20, 2020, Gov. JB Pritzker announced a shelter-in-place order, issued as “Executive Order In Response to COVID-19 (COVID-19 Executive Order No. 8).” The order instructs Illinois residents currently living within the State of Illinois to “stay at home or at their place of residence” subject to certain enumerated exceptions. The exceptions appear to swallow the rule and exempt, without limitation, the following:
- Shopping for groceries or supplies
- Outdoor activity, including jogging
- Food production, distribution and sale
- Construction
- Building management
- Stores that sell groceries and medicine
- Cannabis production and dispensaries
- Agriculture and steel production
- Organizations that provide charitable and social services for individuals in need
- Media
- Gas stations
- Financial institutions
- Hardware stores
- Firearm retailers
- Laundry services
- Restaurants, for off premises consumption
- Infrastructure services including IT and cybersecurity
- Professional services, including legal, insurance, real estate, and title services
- Day care centers for the employees exempted by the Order
The order further provides that to the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor space, they must engage in “social distancing”, which the Order defines as:
- maintaining a 6-foot spacing requirement
- making hand sanitizing products readily available
- implementing separate operating hours for elderly and vulnerable customers
- posting hours of operation and contact information online.
Businesses continuing to operate must, to the greatest extent possible, maintain six-foot social distancing for both members of the general public and for employees.
The order also suspends enforcement of orders of eviction for residential premises and runs through April 7, 2020.
[View source.]
